What to do on the allotment in May

It is the first day of may today and it’s pouring down here in Blackpool, it’s turned really cold too and that glimmer of summer hope has disappeared, the heating is back on and so is a jumper! I am fancying comfort food like rhubarb crumble and custard, but I used the rhubarb in a juice yesterday when the sun was shining.

On our own plot we need to get our soil sorted, last year the plot flooded each time it rained and the soil is like hard clay, not much grows well apart from the weeds, we do use the ‘weeds’ for herbal remedies, teas and fertiliser but the committee frown on weeds, I am trying to win them round by educating them in the properties of having a natural plot. So this year we want to build up the raised beds, and fill will good compost/top soil, I have loads of seedlings ready to be planted out and am aware that it’s time to plant more but my easel is already full and so is the spare room windowsill.

There is a lot to sow this month and with many crops you can keep re-sowing every couple of weeks for continued supply of veggies through the year.

French Beans

Kale

Runner Beans

Beetroot

Radishes

Broccoli

Cabbage

Chicory

Kohlrabi

Peas

Turnips and Swedes

Salad crops

Cabbages

Lettuce and Leaves such as Rocket

Spring Onions

You can also sow these under cover, in the greenhouse or if you don’t have one yet (like us) on a sunny windowsill

Sweetcorn

Marrow

Courgette

Pumpkin

If your plants are large enough, you can plant out now:

Brussels sprouts

Celery

Summer cabbages

Celeriac

Leeks.

Perfect time for picking rhubarb and planting summer cabbages on a dry sunny day

Old wives Gardening tales

“Never sow a seed in ground you wouldn’t put your bare bottom on” this is a great one and so true because seeds grow best in warm soil, maybe test with your elbow and not your bare bottom on the allotment!

“One for the mouse, one for the crow, one to rot and one to grow” This means on average only one in four seeds will grow a plant, hopefully if you have bought decent seeds you should expect a better growth rate than this!